You’ve probably noticed a connection between how many years a couple has been together and how much they look like each other. Any couple has many things in common, and some even have similar facial features. But there are couples who look as if they are brother and sister.

We at 5 Fun Facts have also noticed such a tendency, and we decided to find out what scientists think about this interesting phenomenon. Who knows? Maybe there is someone out there for everyone. A heartwarming bonus at the end of the article will prove that true love can never be forgotten.

Resembling our parents

They say that a man tends to marry his mother. It is more likely that his wife will share some close similarities with his mother, both in habit and appearance. Scientists confirm that we choose partners who not only look like us but also like our opposite-sex parent. The most significant factors here are hair and eye color and the age of our parents. If your parents weren’t young when they had you, you’ll look for a partner who’s older than you.

Number of years spent together

Robert Zanjonc, an American social psychologist, compared photographs of couples on their wedding day with those taken 25 years later. His study showed that even if a husband and wife had no facial similarities at all, some 25 years later they looked surprisingly alike. Another cool fact from his survey: the more marital happiness a couple reported, the greater their increase in facial resemblance.

Sharing experiences

Another reason for eventually starting to look like each other is sharing experiences with your partner. Throughout their life together, a couple experiences a great deal of happy and sad moments. Everything they go through together as a couple affects their body language and emotional state. Their history is “written” on their faces: even a couple’s wrinkles form in the same places.

We’re attracted to people who look like us.

According to studies, we’re attracted to those who have facial similarities with us. It’s called assortative mating, a theory suggesting that individuals with similar phenotypes mate with one another more frequently. If you 2 look alike, chances are your child will look a lot like both of you. Scientists believe this is how individuals try to maximally pass on their genes to the next generation.

Similar immune systems

Our immune system reflects our lifestyle, including our eating habits and physical exercise. A group of scientists concluded that couples who had been married for a long time have very similar immune systems. Maybe that’s why 2 partners often share their habits and lifestyle in general.

Mirroring

Couples who are in tune with each other often mirror each other’s habits and body language. It shows that there’s emotional comfort and trust in their relationship. Scientists state that partners tend to change their own habits throughout their married life. For example, if one of them was trying to quit smoking and started eating healthy food, the other one often did the same.

Bonus: Despite all the differences and similarities, the best thing to do is keep falling in love with your special someone over and over again.

About

Our site is dedicated to creativity. We made 5 Fun Facts to help nurture the seeds of creativity found in all of us. We believe imagination should be at the heart of everything people do. 5 Fun Facts is the place to find the most inspiring manifestations of this from around the world.